Love, is it?
by Senna711
Summary: Ichigo finds out that his dad is dating another woman. After some walking he bumps into Orihime and then they discusss about it and somehow get the conversation into Orihime's love life. One-shot


**Author's Note: This is a little something I made for my favorite couple in Bleach: Ichihime. This came to me when I was thinking of a confession scene between the two and when I read a chapter of Absolute Boyfriend by Yuu Watase. Sure Bleach is a shonen manga but hey, there's always some romance right? Well here's to you, my first Ichihime one-shot! Sorry if this is cheesy and fluffy and argh!!!!! o**

**BLEACH belongs to Tite Kubo, not me.**

**º _ º**

* * *

It has been three months since the Winter War was over. Aizen was dead and all the Arrancars were eliminated. Nelilel or Nel was left to look over Hueco Mundo with Pesche and DonDonChakka. Everything was at peace except for the usual Hollows that appear in the human world. Unfortunately, everybody from the Soul Society had to go back, especially Renji and Rukia. But they still came back every now and then. As for our hero Ichigo, he still wanted to keep his promise in protecting his friends (even Uruyu). He still held his position in being a Subtitue Shinigami as well. Everybody had just gone back to their normal lives.

It had been three months since then. It was a nice Sunday evening and the Substitute Shinigami had just come back home from defeating a small Hollow. His sister Yuzu and Karin were cooking breakfast. His father suddenly came out of nowhere screaming, "ICHIGOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Damn it! What the hell's wrong with you old man?!" he yelled blocking his father's kick.

"Ah, you're getting good my son! That means you're growing up!" he said happily. They both started their usual routine of fighting each other.

"Stop that you two! Can't both of you set the table up for breakfast?" yelled Yuzu.

"Relax Yuzu. We can do that. Besides, they're eventually gonna get hungry one way or another." said Kain setting up the table. What Kain said was true. They both sat down as Isshin kicked Ichigo under the table as they both sat down. They kept on kicking each other seeing who's leg throbbed first.

"What are you so happy about goat-chin? You've been smiling ever since you came in here." asked Karin.

"Eh? You noticed?" Ishin asked.

"Don't play dumb goat-chin. You've been taking out your happiness out on Ichi-nii all this time."

"So that's what that was about! What the hell could make you so happy?" said Ichigo. His leg started to hurt now.

"Ichi-nii! Calm down or he won't tell. Now Dad tell us." said Yuzu.

"Of course I'll tell you my dear daughter! It's just that...." Ishin started blushing, smiling and playing with his fingers.

"What is it old man?" asked Ichigo a little irritated.

"Megumi-san from the marketplace has agreed to go out with me during the week."

"..."

The Kurosaki children had just received some news that had just change their lives a little, well for the moment. Ichigo was quiet and and sat frozen. Yuzu was wide-eyed smiling with her mouth open. Karin opened her mouth and dropped her chopsticks. They did not know what to say or how to feel. Should they be happy? Or should they be sorry for Megumi-san? Rika Megumi was a pretty woman in her late thirties who worked in a small market; she was nice as day and always kind. She lived nearby and always gave Yuzu a little something when she went shopping for food like an extra cup of pudding. The Kurosaki children had known her ever since they was small. How was a pretty woman like her into **their** dad? And, most importantly, **why**?

"You're not joking... are you?" asked Ichigo.

"Nope!" Ishin replied.

"..."

Ichigo got up from the table saying he was done. Only half of his breakfast was gone. "That's good for you... dad." He thanked Yuzu and Karin for breakfast. "Hey Ichi-nii!"

"I'm going out. I'll come back home later." Ichigo shut the door and went out. As he walked down the street, he kept thinking to himself over what his dad had just told him.

_The old man.... is dating... Megumi-san? _thought Ichigo. He actually didn't know what to feel. Sure his dad was an idiot and he didn't care what he did with his life but... this was surprising. But it felt a little uncomfortable. He though his dad was gonna adore his mother the rest of his life. If they got married, would she replace his mom's place in the family? Megumi-san, his new... mom?

_Stop thinking about that! They're just gonna date, not go that far!_

"OWIE!"

"Eh?" Ichigo blinked. As he looked around, he realized he was in the local park.

_How did I make it here without knowing? Wait! Didn't I bump into somebody?_

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry that I hit you!" Ichigo looked down to the ground and saw a familiar orange-brown haired girl on the ground.

"Inoue?!" he yelled in astonishment.

"Owie... ah! Kurosaki-kun! Sorry! Was I was daydreaming again?" she asked.

"You okay... Inoue?" He held his hand out for her offering to help her get out. She accepted and got up smiling and blushing a bit.

"Oh me! I'm just fine! No need to worry about me Kurosaki-kun!" she said waving her hands in the air. Ichigo responded with an "Oh." and then looked away.

_Damn... was I that caught up in my own thoughts? _he thought.

"Ara Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime popped up.

"Yeah Inoue?"

"Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing."

Ichigo kept on looking the other way. Orihime still worried.

_I wonder what's wrong with Kurosaki-kun. We haven't had a nice conversation in a while. _Orihime thought. She then remembered the time she had talked with Ichigo before they all went to the Soul Society to rescue Rukia. Maybe everything could go back to normal if they talked! That's how they got closer, right?

"I'm willing to listen if you're willing to tell me Kurosaki-kun. If there's anything wrong, you can tell me." she said.

"Inoue..." he turned and looked at her and she smiled.

* * *

"... so you're father is dating Megumi-san?"

_Damn it! Why did I end up telling her?! _thought Ichigo. She already had enough about problems and he didn't want her to be corrupted with his. They had both sat in a bench nearby the park having their conversation.

"And you don't feel comfortable about it? Is that it?" she stated looking at Ichigo.

"Well, uh, not really. I wouldn't put it that way-" Orihime cut him off and started talking.

"You know Kurosaki-kun, I remember that back when I was with Sora, I always got mad whenever a girl looked at him. Eh heh! I didn't want any of them to take him away from me. I always tugged his arm taking him some other direction whenever a girl looked at him. To tell you the truth, I was a little jealous."

"Jealous? What do you mean?"

"Well I guess that's the right way to put it. I was a little selfish about sharing onni-chan. I didn't understand what love was then. Because falling in love or liking someone is something you can't stop sometimes. Don't you think so?"

"Inoue... you actually sound like you know what it is."

"Well... I... uh...um..." Orihime turned her blushing face.

"Anyway, love was something I never payed attention to. Like it wasn't important." Ichigo looked.

"N-not important! But Kurosaki-kun! But love is ... how can I say it, uhhh.... a feeling that changes your life. That's right! When you're in love, your heart beats like crazy when you're near the person you love! And other that that, you want to be by that person's side forever."

"Inoue... do you have someone you like?" asked Ichigo.

"Eh?"

"Since you're telling me this, I suppose you know what being in love is like. N-not that I wanna know who it is! I mean, you can like whoever you like."

_Her liking someone? I wonder who that is. Wait, since when do I care? I gotta respect Inoue's privacy! Besides it's... none of my business. _thought Ichigo. His head kept analyzing the guys he knew and kept thinking about who Orihime liked.

"Kurosaki-kun..." Orihime smiled and blushed a bit. Ichigo turned and looked at her. He suddenly felt his face go hot.

_Since... when do I care about Inoue's business?_

"Inoue..." said Ichigo softly.

"Yes, Kurosaki-kun?" asked Orihime.

"How's this person? The one you like." _Why the hell am I asking her? And when do I care? _Ichigo's heart skipped a little. He couldn't find an explanation for this.

Orihime's face froze. _K-k-k-k-kurosaki-kun is asking about the person I like? B-b-but I can't say it's Kurosaki-kun. I can't confess now! I-I-I-I' not ready!Wait! Are the aliens from space doing this to Kurosaki-kun's brain?! _

"Well um..uh... ah! He is a great person. That's one thing I can say...." said Orihime looking at the concrete floor. Once Ichigo looked at her, he saw that she was blushing but happy talking about this guy.

_A great person... huh. _he thought. _A good person that makes you smile. _For some reason, he felt a tug deep down.

"He cares a lot for those close to him and he's kind but a little sensitive. People look at him differently because of how he acts in front of him."

Ichigo smiled. "Sounds a little like me." Ichigo blurted out.

"Eh? W-what do you mean?" Orihime shouted. _D-did he find out?! I'm such an idiot! Baka! Baka! Baka! How is he gonna feel about me now?_

"C-calm down. I meant the acting dfferently part!"_Shit! Why'd I say that?! _he thought loudly. He didn't want to say it but it just came out.

"Oh... right. I'm sorry."

"Don't mention it really. You have no reason to apologize." said Ichigo.

"Where was I, oh! On how he acts! Other than that, he's funny, that's how I...."

"You what, Inoue?"

"It was a little crush at first but I don't know. I've known him a while. I don't even know how he feels about..."

"Inoue..."

"You know what, forget about me! Let's get back to you Kurosaki-kun!"

"Wait Inoue. We're talking about you now. Don't change the subject."

"No... I'm alright! Don't worry about me!" Ichigo thought he saw a tear in her eye.

"Inoue..."

"I'm alright!" She rose from her seat but didn't know what to do. She couldn't run away. Not now.

Suddenly Orihime felt arms wrap around her. They were warm and was surprised to who they belonged to.

"Kuro-"

"It looks like this guy is only making you suffer. Forget about him." Orihime escaped from his grasp. She stared at him with her eyes wide open. She looked a little sad too. Although she was sad and shocked, her mind was made. She knew she had to give him an answer.

"I'm sorry Kurosaki-kun... but I can't forget about him. I love-"

"Why? Just tell me why this freaking guy-"

"**HE PROMISED TO PROTECT ME AND HE RISKED HIS LIFE DOING THAT!**"

Ichigo's head went back to the time after the two Espadas came to the world of the living. When Rukia pushed him to become his normal self, he also owed and apology. But along with that apology, he made a promise. _"I will definately protect you!"_And all those battles he fought in Hueco Mundo, with Aizen. She was nakama. Or was she just more than that to him?

"Kurosaki-kun, I.... I love you. You're the person I love." She said that with tears crawling down her face.

That sentence made it through his thick skull. Especially those special words. They made him heart beat more and made him feel.. what word could describe it? Happiness? Content?

"Inoue...."

"It's all right, Kurosaki-kun. I know how you feel! Let's just get back to-"

"It's not that. I just want to say.... I.... I care about you too Inoue." said Ichigo.

"Kurosaki-kun..." He wrapped his arms around her. She did so as well. They both looked into each other's eyes.

"I like you.... Orihime... very much. I'm sorry I took this much time to realize it."

"It's alright... Ichigo-kun."

They both closed in and and their lips touched. What more could they say? It was their very first kiss.

* * *

Soon after, the Kurosaki children came to accept the fact that their dad did really need.... love. Besides, they couldn't see him cry all over the Maksai poster all the time. But who knew Ichigo would too? Especially with Orihime-chan!This would become a great shock once the school found out about this.

The delinquent and the pretty girl. The shinigami and the healer. Either way, good idea for a manga, don't you all think? (laughs)

* * *

**I'm a desperate fan girl who loves romance, espeicially in BLEACH. But I'm secretly proud of it. Please give me a good review! And some comments about writing. Good or bad I don't care. Was this too fast? I read too much shojo. -_-' My first one-shot with this couple! Ichihime FTW! Thank you to those who took their time to read this. Proud to be an FLOL member! I'm animesenna711 over there. Over and out!**


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